IOA writes to NSFs for views on 2019 Asian Games bid

New Delhi: IOA Secretary General Rajeev Mehta asked all the National Sports Federations and state Olympic bodies to express their views in writing if the country should bid for 2019 Asian Games, saying the General Body Meeting cannot be called due to paucity of time.

"As you are aware, the last date to submit the bid by countries for the hosting of the 2019 Asian Games is 1st July 2014 and also this issue has been in news since last few days," Mehta said in a letter addressed to the Presidents and General Secretaries of all the NSFs and state Olympic associations.

"The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India has already shown their keenness in supporting a bid from IOA to host the Games,” Mehta said.

"Since we do not have sufficient time to call a meeting of General House to take the approval/consent for submitting a bid for the hosting of these Games, I am requesting all members vide this email to give their consent by email either in favour of submitting a bid for the hosting of the 2019 Asian Games in New Delhi or against the submission of a bid," Mehta said.

Mehta had said last month that the IOA would approach the new government to bid for the 2019 Asian Games after Vietnam capital Hanoi withdrew its hosting rights in April but his president N Ramachandran later said no decision has been taken on the issue.

Just three days back, Ramachandran had told Sports Minister Sarbananda Sonowal that IOA was yet to take a decision on mounting a bid though the deadline to do so is approaching.

Hanoi was chosen in 2012 to host the 18th Asian Games ahead of Indonesia's Surabaya but the Vietnamese capital withdrew in April due to economic pressures.

Indonesia has expressed its willingness to step in as a replacement and a final decision on the host city will be decided on September 20 during the Incheon Asian Games.

India, which hosted the Games in 1951 and 1982, had bid for hosting this year's Asian Games but had lost out to Incheon in 2007.